Category: Lifestyle

Time for our Politicians to Grow Some Balls in Australia.

Isn’t it time we the punters took control of this Gay Marriage fiasco and directed out politicians to do their job?We have two nutters running around playing one upmanship threatening the world with nuclear war, the gap between rich and poor widening and whatever, while this rot about plebiscite/Snail Mail continues to bore us to tears. 

Facts are the Senate will reject the plebiscite, the non compulsory mail out with the non compulsory obligation of parliament to comply with the results, all costing us millions of dollars. The logic just does not stack up. 

Who are we protecting here, who is scared to say I was either in favour or against Gay Marriage? 

One guess. Politician. This is not a party political issue. Our politicians should make a decision as they are paid to do and if we don’t like it we will vote accordingly to each and everyone’s opinion come polling day. That’s our system, and they are the rules when they choose politics as their career. 

And for those who say it was a election promise, I would remind them of promise of no cuts to the ABC was unequivocal, locked in, yet that was conveniently forgotten.

Dr. Google, a Dangerous Consultant.

How would it go if when you took your car to the mechanics with a problem then proceeded to tell him how to do the job stand by while he did it, what parts to use how long to would take and then just leave the pricing to him?You’d probably complain about the price too and ask for a concession on using your knowledge even though you have never trained, in fact lifted a spanner. 

So imagine how Doctors must feel when they get a patient who thinks they know it all thanks to Dr. Google.

Yes diplomacy skills go into overdrive for the professionals when experiencing the online super graduates rants on their self diagnosed problems and woe is them if they dare to challenge the preconceived outcome or expectation of the patient.

Dangerous ground I feel as then we have to ask is the GP or Specialist actually using his experience and training or are they just conceding and sending them on their way feeling good about their own expertise without any confrontation. 

Knowledge is power and alternately Dangerous in the wrong hands. 

Dr. Google is a dangerous consultant in my book. Most Doctors have a set process of elimination follow by ongoing tests, checks and counter checks leading up to a educated guess, yes guess as they too are only human. Then it comes down to faith in that primary diagnosis and proceeding.

That tradesman mechanic is likely to just tell you to go somewhere else to fix those brakes, or fix them yourself and good luck but the doctor is not quite that abrupt but the result would still be the same come crunch time. 

Legislate to Designate NBN a Essential Service.

Any body who has been landed with the job of selling a car with a free bumper bar must feel sorry for Bill Morrow CEO of the NBN.The Super Cheap version he has been tasked to roll out combined with the telcos all clambering to make a buck does nothing to install faith of any new or existing customer. 

Too many players, and too many agendas all trying to split the profits. 

Is it not time to just stop and remind ourselves we live in a vast country, distance is a critical factor and so is delivery of services like health, banking, business and telephony are in the national interest which may shock some gamers and movie watchers.

History reveals when the government repealed the law which declared communication supply was a essential service the quality of service and delivery crashed from a world top five network into a bun fight to supply that car with a free bumper bar.

Privatisation of the national network is now a proven failure to service quality and cost, the exact things our politicians told us would be cheaper and better, so I feel it time to stop making excuses and give the nation back its network and remember it you build it correctly the first time it will last a life time. That was the proven principal we built into the copper technology. 

Enough Said. 

Keeping your Job 

With every administration comes culture some good and some bad and that culture trickles down to every employee in the organisation regardless of what level they are at.As we march to the polls in Ipswich too are being fed trickle down facts, rumour and innuendo from various news sources, our loyal council employees are wedged between the legalities of sub judiciary, and on going investigations.

Often in situations like we have presently we forget that our public servants have to abide by the culture or loose their livelihood, and that is a daily decision to those who prize their professional integrity.

Not all will be called to the bench for evidence, fewer will whistle blow and risk public judgment, so the vast majority will just go home a keep their experiences private for the sake of their careers and live in hope of better days ahead.

They say a fish rots from the head down and my question is how much did the rest of the inner council and councillors know about that culture and why did no one stand up? 

Ageless Jukebox just keeps on giving. 

We arrived at the venue not knowing who was invited, nothing about the couples family but certain we were blessed to be invited and the friendship shared.As time passed our circle grew with people we knew and interaction grew as the alcohol kicked in but the pods of the inner circle of family remained in their respective spaces passing fleeting conversation over tables and visits to the hot box for finger food. 

As the jukebox churned out the default music the function was in danger of sliding into a frozen state until one of our rowdy lot at our table hit the menu button then volume button and then the atmosphere cleared.

Initially the crusty old farts faces squirmed and the customary whines of turn it down Erupted across the room but was not endorsed by the majority who seemed to be playing the wait and see approach.

With minor adjustments the volume was maintained as we moved into party games with teams mixing the participants as the table boundaries were broken.

That was the catalyst to change gear as intermingling and banter at and about the young hosts history. Personal exploits and habits exposed made great script as the players shared each other’s experiences with the couple socially and professionally.

As that phase was completed the amalgamation of the audiences was cemented with the return of the volume button cranking out the hits of ages, igniting the memories of the young and old on makeshift dance floors between tables and chairs.

The night was alight, people sang, danced, shouted and laughed loudly with total abandon, like we did when young.

Conditions did apply though, strict conditions, conditions that totally banned Facebook applied. 

How ironical and sad is that request when people’s privacy request needs to be made?

Anyway As expected they poured me down the steps, into the car and off to bed waking this morning decidedly slow with new hip and lung capacity ringing protest but what a night to remember. 

My best mate and me dancing like teenagers at 66 and 70 as the Jukebox pounded, the absolute unconditional devotion the engaged couple radiated. All simple and so important 

So thanks Old Jukebox for just being you.. 

Balanced Reporting ,The Way Foward. 

When we get jolted by headlines like “Are we SleepWalking into WW3” I think it time we had a real good look at where we get out information political or otherwise.Fake News, Right Wing, Left Leaning, all open for interpretation according to you own beliefs but what has happened to factual news, investigative reporting? 

It seems we now have to rely on shows like 4 Corners, Foreign Correspondent to deliver while the Media Monopolies lobby to dismantle the ABC funding so they can control our media diet. 

The media barons are complaining about subscriptions crashing yet they choose to split their customer base by bias delivery one side or the other and the split is getting wider in Australia mirroring America forcing consumers and prospective clients to look elsewhere for balanced reporting. 

No wonder independent outlets are rising as the Mongols battle to keep circulation by buying up satellite newspapers then alienating its audience. 

We in Ipswich are better than that aren’t we?

 

Queen Cow Culture inside the LPGA alive and well. 

When women’s sports are slowly but surely making way in the world of testosterone and stubble beards who on earth the would want to draw attention to themselves and try and regulate the way athletes present themselves on a golf course?The LPGA would. What were they thinking? 

Firstly who complained about it for a start? 

It wasn’t the viewing public Or the people who pay the entry Or the people who buy the merchandise Or support the sponsors that’s for sure. 

Taking them out it, the life blood of the industry, it could only have been that Fashion Police, who I might add has its operatives in every golf club that has ever existed. 

Made up mainly elder elitist gentry, mostly self appointed, ensuring all standards according to them are kept to what it was when they were alive,and young, when they too were beaten around the head by the same police squad. 

When golf clubs all over the world are trying to reinvent themselves to attract youth and their futures this band to cronies decide turn out of the time tunnel and haven’t realised this is 2017 not 1917.

This culture unfortunately is really a power game that exists amongst many women’s sports I have found and sadly based on keeping the youth in their place physically and mentally, and then the same people concede the youth don’t stay!! 

I wonder why? 

And by the way it’s not only youth that gets ticked off, older new players have to learn their place too in this toxic atmosphere. Discovering the Queen Cow and who is who’s faction and who claims you first. 

No it hasn’t changed much and nor will it endless we realise that limited 3 year terms then resignation then a pre designated holiday away from officialdom should apply as power bases become too entrenched. 

Anyway as a old Coach of women’s football all I can say is their dedication to the technique, fitness, and personal discipline far out classed the stubble bearded show ponies and that observation still exists in all women’s sport I watch today. 

Keep it up girls… Your looking great. 

Ethical Standards Check on The Miller Burning.

As a 2 time failed candidate in a council election I understand how the wanna bee’s for Mayor feel when running against a experienced sitting councillor, however when you decide to get inside the ropes you have the accept you have to work harder as you do not have the tool box of contacts, media, knowledge, and interaction with businesses and authorities acquired over time by the sitting member. However when circumstances change drastically as it has in Ipswich we have to look back and see how that tool box was used and was it used ethically.

I’m on the record for asking what was the issue when Joanne Miller wanted to centralise police communications away from Ipswich as I believe all essential services should be within arms length for quicker response time especially now when we have GPS, Instant video, Helecopters, mobile, ect. so having a individual outpost like Yamanto was a little odd especially if no employee would be relocated or displaced, in fact as I recall Ipswich would have a slight increase in staff as a result.

But, as we witnessed a open war was declared by the Mayor and the media on Millar in one of the most vindictive, vile and personal attacks ever seen in my time in this great city. Yes politics is tough and when your inside the ropes that comes with the territory, but when attacks extend to family and even down to a jeans belt, I think we in Ipswich deserved better balanced journalism.

Time has moved on, editors change, circumstances change, as well as the political landscape, so I feel it’s time to ask why that issue exploded as it did, and why the viscous ness?

I get very sceptical when I see politicians and media combining to close down a individual from doing his or her job with such venom so I believe this issue should be investigated by a Ethical entity Under Oath., so we the punters can be sure we have no skeletons that may revisit us later from former are administrations.

Footnote.

Serious questions lay here of the closeness and availability of confidential information regarding police operationns to Council.

All may be in order however as I have stated the joining of media and Mayor to destroy a Minister and MP locally raises questions that should be answered Under Oath.

Edited by QT on  print. 

Criminalise Rouge Employers

While the federal governments war on the trade unions continues it conveniently ignores employers that underpay employees and when they are caught they can pleaded ignorance without charge if they repay.If I steal money from that same employers business I get charged with theft immediately but stealing from employees as is wage theft is allowed goes unpunished.

I accept mistakes do occur if award increases are missed unintentionally by some small operators however there are much bigger employers knowingly underpaying especially in the retail and hospitality industries manipulating employees to the detriment of employers who do the right thing and comply with the laws.

Theft is theft in all its forms and regardless if a employee or employer infringes the laws should apply equally, and this federal government should pursue and prosecute the employers as hard as they have the trade union movement if they get a sniff of any wrongdoing.

These employees in retail and hospitality have suffered a penalty rate cut so ensuring base rate compliance is critical so its up to Turnbull to ensure laws are in line with the all community standards and rouge employers charged accordingly. 

Mayoral Qualifications Please..

With Mayoral nominations opening in August it’s a good time for us punters to think about what we really want out of our Mayor, what issues we really need as ratepayers, and what we don’t want as well. My personal concern is speculative developments in retail and land development. Just look around our city and towns and we will find land parcels cleared of either vegetation or structures laying idle for years after great hullabaloos of Safety helmeted ,silver shovel, fluro safety jacketed media stunts.

Then we have this fixation that the more retail outlets selling the same stuff is somehow good for competition. That’s fine if they are all on the same playing field, but that’s fantasy. The bigger conglomerate the more council concessions/incentive as the smaller mum and dad shows hit the wall resulting in more vacant premises. 

I agree forward planning is imperative to running any business being council or private abut the risk management facets is where this council comes up short very short, so my I’m looking for a Mayor that can run a business, run council as a business, as well as a demonstrated skill of managing the gap between timely service provision and population growth realising that critical factor in managing not only council cash flow but extends to the cashflow of accompanying businesses as well. 

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